What's happening
This bill requires police training on internet-facilitated harassment and expands civil liability for harassment under the civil rights law.
Why it matters
Expands police training requirements. to include comprehensive education on how internet technologies can be used for harassment and other crimes, ensuring officers are better equipped to recognize and respond to online threats.
Mandates ongoing and periodic retraining. for both new and veteran police officers, promoting up-to-date understanding of digital harassment tactics as technology evolves.
Broadens civil rights protections. by explicitly including harassment as defined in the penal law—such as online harassment—under the grounds for civil liability when motivated by bias, allowing victims of internet-facilitated hate or bias incidents to seek civil remedies.
Lowers the threshold for court intervention. by allowing injunctions against harassers without requiring proof that actual injury or damage occurred, making it easier for victims to secure legal protection against ongoing or threatened online harassment.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Stop Online Harassment
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Amended on third reading (t) 1348b
- Ordered to third reading cal.69
- Advanced to third reading cal.477
- Reported
- Reported referred to codes
- Print number 1348a
- Amend (t) and recommit to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Stop Online Harassment
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor Alessandra Biaggi
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1348--B Cal. No. 69
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. QUART, D'URSO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the executive law and the civil rights law, in relation to harassment through electronic communication
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 840 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
6. The council shall, in addition:
(a) Develop, maintain, and disseminate written policies and procedures regarding current internet technology and how such technology may be used to perpetrate harassment or other crimes. Such policies and procedures shall make provisions for the education and training of new and veteran police officers; and
(b) Recommend to the governor, rules and regulations with respect to the establishment and implementation on an ongoing basis of a training program for all current and new police officers regarding the policies and procedures established pursuant to this subdivision, along with recommendations for periodic retraining of police officers.
§ 2. Subdivision 2 of section 79-n of the civil rights law, as added by chapter 227 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
2. Any person who intentionally selects a person or property for harm or causes damage to the property of another [or], causes physical injury or death to another or commits harassment as defined in section 240.25 of the penal law in whole or in substantial part because of a belief or perception regarding the race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation of a person, regardless of whether the belief or perception is correct, shall
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01431-04-9
A. 1348--B 2
be liable, in a civil action or proceeding maintained by such individual or group of individuals, for injunctive relief, damages, or any other appropriate relief in law or equity. If it shall appear to the satisfaction of the court or justice that the respondent has, in fact, violated this section, an injunction may be issued by such court or justice, enjoining and restraining any further violation, without requiring proof that any person has, in fact, been injured or damaged thereby.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.